SOUTH Winter 2022

T h e l i fe s tyle m a g a z in e fo r s o uth er n New Zea la n d

South WINTER 2022

www.southmagnz.co.nz

STARS OF THE SOUTH Celebrating the southern skies Seasons pass

Running free

Life & style

Dunedin author Laurence Fearnley's new novel.

Ultra runner Glenn Sutton can't stop moving.

Fashion, shopping, food, events, music, and more.

Enjoy local ales & a hearty meal in a historic setting Open 7 days for lunch and dinner

COME IN AND TASTE OUR SEASONAL BEERS ON TAP

We take bookings and you can even pre-order your meals, so there is no wait!

Rattray St, Dunedin • 471-9050 www.thealehouse.co.nz

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The lifestyle magazine for southern New Zealanders

5 / FOREWORD: Editorial

South Art Director Michael D’Evereux Contributors Naomi Arnold, Gareth Hughes, George Kay. Advertising sales manager Nic Dahl (03 479-3545) nic.dahl@alliedpress.co.nz Marketing Charlotte Thompson CONTACT Email: south@alliedpress.co.nz Online: www.southmagnz.co.nz Digital edition: issuu.com/alliedpress Facebook: @SOUTHMagNZ Instagram: @south_magazine_nz

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General enquiries to South magazine, PO Box 517, Dunedin 9054. Phone (03) 477-4760.

Published by Allied Press Ltd, 52 Stuart St, Dunedin 9016. © 2022. All rights reserved.

Printed and distributed by Allied Press. ISSN 2815-7605 (Print); ISSN 2815-7613 (Online).

W H AT D O YOU MEAN BY lifestyle?

Given the parlous state of the world, what does ‘lifestyle’ even mean in these times?

shallow, selfish idea, representing not much more than purchasing decisions.

Is it just a cryptic byword for the ultimate emptiness of mass consumerism, for humanity’s headfirst dive into oblivion?

There’s more to it than that though.

As they say, “with freedom comes responsibility”; there are moral duties within our individual lifestyle choices.

‘Lifestyle’ is variously defined as “an individual’s way of life”; “particular attitudes, habits”; or “the way in which a person lives”.

It’s only been in use to describe the way that people choose to live for about the last century.

No doubt there’s a link between ‘lifestyle’ as a concept, and the rise of individualism in the 20th Century. As such it can seem a

And in challenging times that duty is not just to others. There’s also a responsibility to not become inured to the world, to keep moving forward with some purpose.

Or in the words of Wooderson in the movie Dazed and Confused, “you just gotta keep livin’, man.

L-I-V-I-N.”

The life st yle magazine for sout he rn Ne w Ze aland

South WINTER 2022

STARS OF THE SOUTH Celebrating Matariki & stargazing Seasons pass Dunedin author Laurence Fearnley's new novel.

Gavin Bertram, Editor.

www.southmagnz.co.nz

Running free

Life & style

Ultra runner Glenn Sutton can't stop moving.

Fashion, shopping, food, events, music, and more.

Cover: The Aurora Australis as viewed from Flagstaff in Dunedin. (Photo: DunedinNZ)

Editor Gavin Bertram gavin.bertram@alliedpress.co.nz

SOUTH MAGAZINE #002 WINTER 2022

FOR E WOR D

5 Editorial 7 Big Picture 10 WHAT’S ON: Five things to do this winter.

17 EVENTS: Dine Dunedin.

18 FOOD: The best pizza

F E AT U R E S

Contents

A Winter’s Tale: Author Laurence

28 Space is the place:

joints in the south.

Appreciating the

19 BIG ASK: McLaren rally

wonders of the

driver Emma Gilmour.

Fearnley on her new novel Winter Time.

32

E N DNO T E S

42 I was there: 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain.

How ya going? Dunedinraised Grammy award winner Jonathan Lemalu.

44

southern night skies.

20 SHOPPING: Stay home this season.

23 FASHION: Essentials for the winter months.

27 BOOKS: Gareth Hughes wrote Jeanette Fitzsimons biography.

38

Step by step: What drives Dunedin ultra runner Glenn Sutton?

Once upon a time: George Kay on meeting David Bowie in 1978.

46 Loose ends.

Big Picture

SOUTH /Winter 2022

“From the ashes, a fire shall be woken, a light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be that was broken, the crownless again shall be king.”

J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring.

The Dunedin Midwinter Carnival is on July 8-9.

Photo: Gregor Richardson/Allied Press

8 / Colour inspiration with Resene Optimism and energy abound in this living area, celebrating spicy oranges and warm terracotta. The back wall is in Resene Dark Buff, the shelf wall is in Resene Korma, the floor is in Resene Eighth Drought, the console table is in Resene Twine, the tall vase is in Resene Alpaca, the short vase is in Resene Gold Coast and the DIY artwork is in Resene Korma and Resene Gold Coast. Project by Gem Adams, image by Wendy Fenwick.

The yellow white of Resene Rice Cake, on the wall and floor in this room, meets the sweetness of Resene Dust Storm, on the lower circle and shelf, and Resene Twine, on the large circle. The pot plant is in Resene Biscotti. Project

by Vanessa Nouwens, image

by Wendy Fenwick.

How to create a warm and welcoming home Whether it’s during the cool winter months or the warmth of summer, a welcoming and inviting home is a must all-year round.

A

setting that invites us in and makes us want to stay leaves us feeling relaxed and grounded, as we know, we have a retreat where we can return to each day. Paint colours play a large role in forming this environment and feeling, as do the layers of accents that accompany it.

Resene Colour Consultant Amy Watkins suggests bringing in warm neutrals such as Resene Rice Cake, Resene Orchid White, Resene Bianca or Resene Carrara. “If the room receives lots of sunlight, use Resene Rice Cake as it has a subtle grey edge to the cream that

prevents too much yellow or green coming through. Or if the room is south facing, go for warmer, brighter hues such as Resene Orchid White or Resene Bianca to lift the space. Paint accents and trims in the same colour range, just two shades lighter.”

“If bringing in a feature colour, use warm Tuscany colours such as Resene Crail or Resene Sante Fe,” she says, “which carry good depth to contrast against the off-white colour palette, yet are still soft.”

For a Hamptons feel, use neutrals, but bring in blue tones. “Try Resene Iron or Resene

Grey Chateau, or for more colour use Resene Botticelli or Resene Horizon,” Amy says. “This is more of a style trend that will give you a direction towards what kind of finishings you can use. Other options are Resene Double Alabaster, which is light to give a clean contrast against the stronger blue colours. Or creams with green undertones, such as Resene Half Thorndon Cream or Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream, also create a coastal feeling.”

Subtle nods to the ocean can be brought in by way of striped fabrics on cushions or curtains, or rattan rugs and light pendants. Layer your

SOUTH /Winter 2022 blue backdrop with shots of bold colours in accent items, reminiscent of warm, cloudless days at the beach. Paint your dining room chairs in the dreamy blue of Resene Escape or brighter Resene Havelock Blue, allowing them to sing out in confidence.

“Resene Hot Chile and Resene Pohutukawa on the warm side would be great examples. Cool colours can be warm and welcoming too — try Resene Tarawera or Resene Warrior with Resene Copper Fire in a metallic finish.”

The optimistic nature of soft yellow is one that can’t be ignored when creating an inviting home. Bring in soft versions that aren’t too overpowering or harsh, such as the warm, orange-tinted yellow of Resene Half Buttermilk, gentle ochre of Resene Manuka Honey or golden, creamy tones of Resene Melting Moment. Such colours make a room feel inviting and warm, so are the answer for spaces in south-facing parts of the home, which tend to feel cold with little natural light. These always resonate well with blues – try Resene Duck Egg Blue, the slate grey-blue of Resene Lynch or the maritime Resene Captain Cook.

Soft, pink accents by way of cushions, throws or painted plant pots add another layer of warmth and a happy hue.

Kate Alexander, creative director of Places and Graces, suggests Resene Foggy Grey for a timeless calm feel or Resene Rakaia, a soft neutral with just a touch of mauve, suitable for all rooms. Resene Double Dutch White, Resene Blank Canvas and Resene Gold Coast go well together for a home with a warm Tuscan glow too, she says.

If warming apricots and oranges are catching your eye, bring in these energetic hues, a step further from yellow. Resene Whiskey Sour, a blend of ochre, brown and orange, Resene Porsche, in amber gold, or Resene Tuscany, in orange terracotta, keeps things energised. For a touch brighter, autumnal Resene Smoke Tree or apricot Resene Roxy will conjure thoughts of energy, vitality and cheerfulness. Pink accents in shrimp-coloured Resene New York Pink or dusky Resene Coral Tree will spice your setting up further.

Cheerful red resonates with pastoral green to uplift the atmosphere in this living area. The wall is in Resene Half Alabaster, the floor is in Resene Rakaia, the arch screen is in Resene Half Alabaster with stripes in Resene Pattens Blue, the tall side table is in Resene Code Red and the vase is in Resene Pale Rose. Project by Melle van Sambeek, image by Bryce Carleton.

Give your home a complete recharge with bold, enriching, joyful reds, especially those with terracotta tones; try the warm, ginger-brown of Resene Dark Buff, earthy Resene Prairie Sand or the seductive red of Resene Jalapeno. These might feel better suited to dining room chairs, a side cabinet or your favourite bookshelf to make a statement without overwhelming the room.

“A hallway is a great place to have a strong colour as it is a transitional room — no one ever spends much time in it, so the colour won’t overpower,” stylist Megan Harrison Turner says.

The entrance to your home sets the tone for what’s to come, and with this being the first impression made on visitors, it’s worth ensuring this is welcoming. “Starting with the impact of colour and then moving to softer colours can work well,” says Megan. “Try an entrance with Resene Warrior then moving to softer versions of the same type of colour, like Resene Cut Glass and Resene Half Opal.”

From the outside, paint your front door with a cheerful hue, not necessarily bright and bold, but one that gives character and is an inviting hue such as sunny Resene Golden Sand or terracotta pink Resene Japonica. Planters, painted in complementary tones, will enhance this look, as will the steps to your front door – so clean up any chipped paint or dirty floor surfaces. A painted chair that sits on your porch or deck is an inviting feature too. Once inside, paint a console and mirror in a colour that ties in with your home’s overall aesthetic to continue the warm and welcoming feel.

By bringing in these warming colours to your home, a sense of optimism will flow throughout your home, bringing a smile to the faces of those who step inside.

For more decorating ideas and advice, see your Resene ColorShop.

10 / FOREWORD: WHAT’S ON

Resene Architecture and Design Film Festival Rialto Cinemas, Dunedin Until June 15 There’s another great line-up of architecture and design related films in this year’s

5 OF THE BEST

festival. They’re divided into four categories - Quiet Icons, Creativity, Problem Solving, and Importance of Place.

The films include Architect of Brutal Poetry on Brazilian architect Hans Broos, Grethe Meyer: the Queen of Danish Design, and the amazing Symphony of the Ursus Factory.

Jimmy Barnes - Soul Deep Tour Town Hall, Dunedin Wednesday, July 20 Australian legend Jimmy Barnes is justifiably proud of his 1991 album Soul Deep. And so along with releasing the reimagined Soul Deep 30, he and band are touring with a set of blistering soul classics.

“I’m absolutely thrilled we can come back to New Zealand and play for our loyal NZ fans,” Barnesy says.

SOUTH /Winter 2022 All Blacks v Ireland Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin Saturday, July 9 It’s been 20 years since New Zealand last played Ireland in Dunedin. The only All Blacks test in Dunedin this year will see them desperate to avenge last November’s loss in Dublin. It will be a busy weekend, as the fixture coincides with Dunedin’s iconic Mid Winter Carnival, being held at First Church and surrounding roads from 6pm on July 8-9.

(Photo: Phil Walter/Getty Images)

Coronet Peak 75th Queenstown August 17-21 Coronet Peak has been providing good times since 1947, and so the ski field is celebrating this August. It kicks off with Kwi roots reggae band Katchafire performing, along with the launch of night skiing, and fireworks. There’ll also be a gala dinner, a dash for cash, a retro theme day, and other events.

(Photo: Snow Sports NZ/Ross Mackay)

Winter Pride Festival Queenstown August 26-September 4 The largest winter pride festival in the Southern Hemisphere encourages both locals and visitors to come together and celebrate their diversity. After the opening day at Coronet Peak, there’s a full programme, including karaoke, the Pride Dinner, various ski events, ladies’ night, Queenstown’s Got Talent, and the Propaganda Snow Ball.

13 / Sponsored content

SOUTH /Winter 2022

A home (and income) away from home.

C

hristchurch-based homeowner, Casey, owns two houses in Hanmer Springs which he advertises for short-term, holiday stays. For some second homeowners, there can often be a toss-up between whether to have the home as a traditional long-term tenancy, or shortterm holiday rental. For Casey, the choice was obvious; renting it as a short-term holiday rental means he is able to cover some of his costs, plus have the flexibility to use the homes whenever is convenient to him and his family.

After careful research into where holiday homes are less seasonal and more likely to be rented all year round, plus being under a two-hour drive from Christchurch, Hanmer Springs seemed to tick all the boxes. Once decided that short-term rentals were the way to go, then came the research into how that property would be rented. Given Casey and his family live in Christchurch, and were aware of the added work that comes with renting out a holiday home, they were after a full-service management solution: that’s where Bachcare came in.

After shopping around different providers, Casey liked what Bachcare had to offer.

“Bachcare offered us a complete package to look after our rental properties and when compared with other service providers, was the most cost-effective and straight-forward option.” It made for an easy choice when the houses were completed at the end of 2018 that

they be listed with Bachcare immediately.

Having Bachcare and their local Hanmer Springs property managers who take care of cleaning and setting out linen for guests, makes short-term renting a hassle-free experience for Casey. He notes that “cleanliness and service is to the highest standard” and the online portal is easy to use for blocking the calendars for their own stays, as well as seeing what level of income is expected. Bachcare takes care of the whole holiday home rental process, so Casey can sit back and relax, knowing his properties are in safe hands.

“Bachcare provides the complete suite of services, from listing our properties to cleaning and servicing. We are also really happy with our local property managers, who are on the ground representing Bachcare in Hanmer Springs.”

Bachcare helps guests find their ‘happy place’ and enables holiday homeowners to share them with others while they are empty, generating a second income for owners. Bachcare handles over two thousand properties across Aotearoa, managing everything that comes with running a short-term rental. They not only advertise your home on their own booking website but manage it across other popular booking platforms such as Airbnb, Booking.com and Bookabach to ensure maximum exposure and booking potential. They are also the only holiday home manager in New Zealand that have a team dedicated to optimising your

revenue. This is important because revenuemanaged properties on the Bachcare portfolio see 16% higher bookings per property and 8% higher income.

Bachcare offers two management solutions with varying degrees of involvement from the holiday homeowner. Their full-service model, Bachcare is available in all major holiday hotspots nationwide. In the South Island that includes Queenstown, Wanaka, Hanmer Springs, Akaroa, plus many more. This covers all aspects of holiday home management, including access to a local manager who carries out cleaning and linen. Alternatively, Bachcare Host suits second homeowners who live nearby, or those who already have a trusted cleaner for their holiday home, but need some help with the other admin. They still get access to many of the great benefits of Bachcare, at a discounted rate as there is no Bachcare local manager involved. With both services, the Bachcare team is just a phone call away to provide guidance on how to set your rental up for success. And they’re based right here in New Zealand!

So, if you’d like someone to manage the whole rental process for you like Casey, or you just need a little extra support, Bachcare can help.

If you have a holiday home sitting empty, make sure you give Bachcare’s team of advisors a call on 0800 42 22 42, or visit newowners.bachcare. co.nz to get your free income appraisal. You too, will be able to sit back and relax knowing your property is in safe hands.

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10 / FOREWORD: Food

DINE DUNEDIN showcasing Ōtepoti’s finest food and drink It features exclusive experiences, menus, burgers, and drinks available only during the festival, from Friday, August 5 to Sunday, August 21.

First Floor | Railway Station | Dunedin Dinner on the Tracks 4pm-8pm, Saturday, August 6, 13, and 20 Dunedin Railway Station The city’s best gourmet food trucks will line up under cover on the Dunedin Railway Station platform. purchase your food and then jump aboard (stationary) Dunedin Railway carriages to dine in warm, old-fashioned style.

Olveston formal dinner 6pm, Friday August 5 Olveston House Step back into the early 20th century, when Olveston will host an intimate three course dinner party for 16 guests in the historic home’s dining room. Dine just like the original owners, the Theomin family, did with their guests in their dining room at their dining table surrounded by their furnishings. Booking essential — phone Olveston (03) 477-3320.

Emerson’s Train to Arc Brewery 10.45am-3pm, Saturday, August 13 All aboard! Train enthusiast and the godfather of Dunedin brewing, Richard Emerson joins beer lovers on a return trip to hot new brewers Arc Brewing Co at Evansdale. On the train, Richard will host a tutored tasting of his two current favourite Emerson’s beers. On arrival at Arc, brewer Jono Walker will shout a pint of their finest. Then guests have a couple of hours to enjoy the hospitality and take advantage of the food trucks before the return trip departing Arc at 2pm.

Dinner at Lochend by Precinct Catering 7pm, Saturday, August 13 Lochend Woolshed Two legends of Dunedin’s event scene join forces for a special one-off Dine Dunedin pop-up restaurant. You’ll be

welcomed with a glass of sparkling wine before savouring a delicious Precinct Catering threecourse meal in the city’s hot new wedding venue, Lochend Woolshed on the edge of the Tomahawk lagoon. Tickets on sale from Monday, 20 June.

Dine Dunedin lunches, experiences, and drinks Venues throughout the city will offer bespoke Dine Dunedin experiences, exclusively available for the festival’s 17 days.

These are listed on www. dinedunedin.co.nz and tickets go on sale on Wednesday, 20 July 2022.

Dine Dunedin Emerson’s Burgers Enjoy a special one-off burger created exclusively for Dine Dunedin at Salt, Good Good, and Emerson’s Taproom to name a few. Burgers on www. dinedunedin.co.nz from Monday, 25 July 2022.

18 / FOREWORD: Food

SLICE OF HEAVEN We may not live in a pizza nirvana like Napoli or Brooklyn, but we can still enjoy the quest for the perfect slice. Here’s a guide to some of the best pizza joints to be found in the south.

The Esplanade (2 Esplanade, St Clair, Dunedin)

Francesca’s Italian Kitchen (93 Ardmore St, Wanaka)

You haven’t truly experienced Dunedin unless you’ve been to St Clair - and The Esplanade. The extensive menu includes authentic pasta, and superb pizza such as the Capricciosa, Quattro Stagioni, and the Misto Formaggi.

An authentic Italian restaurant, Francesca’s offers a fabulously limited menu of starters, pasta, pizza, and desserts. On the pizza front, there are seven options - Margherita, Napoletana, Tartufo, Pepperoni, Parma, Cotto, and Chicken.

Fat Badgers Pizza (33 Camp St, Queenstown)

Scotts Brewing Company (Oamaru)

Their thin crust New York style pizzas are available in 12" and 20" sizes, and 20 different flavours. Their menu of originals includes The Scratching Badger, Badgers Reef and Beef, and The Arnold Schwarzebadger. Plus there are vegan options.

Alongside a great selection of craft beer brewed onsite, the restaurant at Scotts has a tempting menu of stone baked pizza.

You’ll find Meatworks, Apriscotts Chicken, Mediterranean, and Vegan Lovers, as well as sides and a kids’ menu.

Da Vincis Pizzeria (300 Dee St, Invercargill)

Pizza Bar (117 Stuart St, Dunedin)

An Invercargill institution since 1978, Da Vincis Pizzeria “push their toppings to the edge”. They offer all the classics, including Meat Lovers, Chicken BBQ Bacon, and Leonardo’s, as well as plenty of sides and desserts

A fairly recent addition to the city, the compact Pizza Bar is open from 4pm until late from Wednesday to Saturday. Although the menu is short, it is perfectly formed, with the Red Pie, the Spicy Pie, and the Potato/ Pancetta Pie all standouts.

The Esplanade in Dunedin serves up stunning pizza and ocean views. (Photo: Neat Places Dunedin)

BIG ASK:

19/ FOREWORD: Q&A

EMMA GILMOUR Emma Gilmour is a Dunedin rally driver, and the owner of Gilmour Motors Suzuki. She will be driving for McLaren Racing in the Extreme E series in Sardinia on July 6 and 9.

What inspires you?

Many things, but mainly I’m inspired to be the best that I can be and to squeeze as much into every day that I can.

And what annoys you?

Negativity from people definitely annoys me, nearly as much as drivers that don’t use their headlights in low light conditions, and people littering! I hate seeing rubbish lying around our beautiful country.

Can you recommend a book, a film, an album (or song)?

A good friend recommended a book called Lost Connections which is a really interesting book about depression and modern life.

I really enjoyed a documentary called Maiden. An amazing story about the all-women crew that competed in the Whitbread Round the World yacht race.

And a little bit corny, but I love Miley Cyrus’s ‘The Climb’.

What’s the most important thing that you’ve learnt?

Life is all about enjoying the journey, and what makes it enjoyable are the people you meet and the adventures and challenges you have along the way.

Who do you admire?

People that push boundaries. I watched a documentary about the amazing Dr. Ruth Westheimer – I admire that as a 92-yearold holocaust survivor she’s still living her dream.

What do you love about where you live?

I love so many things about Dunedin – the harbour, the beaches, the bush, the history and old buildings, and the ease of getting around. And then I love the huge selection of amazing cafes and restaurants we have too.

Where/when are you happiest?

Spending time with family and friends.

When was the best time of your life?

Right now.

What are you looking forward to?

Heading back overseas with McLaren to compete in the next round of the Extreme E series in Sardinia.

What is one thing everybody should do at least once in their life?

Save a bumblebee! Best feeling in the world picking up a struggling bumble bee and finding a nearby flower or making it some sugar water to give it a burst of energy.

Emma Gilmour drives for McLaren Racing in the Extreme E series.

20/ FOREWORD: Shopping

SOUTH /Winter 2022

2.

1.

The right stuff

3.

When hibernating for the season, it’s important to surround yourself with some objects of beauty.

7.

4.

6.

8.

5.

9.

1. Le Forge Virginia armchair, available from H&J Smith in Invercargill.. 2. David Trubridge Kina lighting, available from KG Design in Te Anau. 3. Californian Quail, available from Flora and Fauna in Queenstown. 4. Ico Traders Montalto table, available from KG Design in Te Anau. 5. Blue Morpho Butterfly Arrangement in Large Glass Cloche, available from Flora and Fauna in Queenstown. 6. Old-fashioned Propagation Station in test tube or beaker style, from Flora and Fauna in Queenstown. 7. Signature Rugs Osaka oval rug, available from H&J Smith in Invercargill. 8. Bowers & Wilkins 603 S2 Anniversary Edition speakers, available from Relics HiFi in Dunedin. 9. Project Debut PRO turntable, available from Relics HiFi in Dunedin.

23/ FOREWORD: Fashion

Facing the colder weather without the perfect coat doesn’t bear thinking about. Here’s a selection to help keep you toasty this winter.

Verge Rickard coat, available from H&J Smith in Invercargill, Gore, and Queenstown.

Valerie Check coat, available from Decjuba in the Meridian Mall, Dunedin.

Princess Highway Brooklyn duffle, available from Dangerfield in the Meridian Mall, Dunedin.

A dream coat

Verge Beaumont coat, available from H&J Smith in Invercargill, Gore, and Queenstown.

Mink Pink Lianna coat, available from H&J Smith in Invercargill, Gore, and Queenstown.

SOUTH /Winter 2022

24 / FOREWORD: Fashion

Emile knee high boot, available from Merchant 1948 in the Meridian Mall, Dunedin.

Layla high top wedge sneaker, available from Merchant 1948 in the Meridian Mall, Dunedin.

Boots &all For jumping puddles or negotiating icy footpaths, you’re going to need a good pair of boots this winter.

Comme des Garçons Play X Converse Hi Top Chuck Taylor, available from Plume in Dunedin.

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There’s more!! Back In Motion ‘Pilates OnDemand’ was released in 2021, providing online access to our Pilates based exercise classes anywhere and anytime!!

Our physiotherapists and Pilates instructors work together to improve client recovery, fitness, and wellbeing.

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Back in Motion has an innovative package of rehabilitation and care for people recovering from accident, surgery, or illness.

SOUTH /Winter 2022

27/ FOREWORD: Books

Writing a new chapter Former Green MP Gareth Hughes reflects on writing A Gentle Radical, the biography of the party’s late co-leader Jeanette Fizsimons.

succession of close family deaths led to my wife and I questioning our fastpaced political and IT careers in Wellington.

A

Party, and I entered Parliament next on the list when she retired in 2010.

Meghan, my wife, became the Keeper of the Island, working with volunteers and visitors, and I set to writing a biography of my friend and mentor the late Jeanette Fitzsimons. Jeanette had inspired me to stand for Parliament when she was co-leader of the Green

my knees, over the autumn and winter I researched her life from a girl in Mosgiel, her environmental awakenings in Geneva, to the leading role she played in the Values Party. Looking outside at the snow floating down over the vege garden and the historic

quarantine building, I followed her journey in the ’70s battling nuclear power, Muldoon’s Think After serving more than a decade Big in the ’80s, and climate change as a Green MP myself I wanted to in the ’90s. With an island almost to myself I could wander the bush We were both stressed, worked use my knowledge of politics to off our feet while watching our help tell the story of this incredible tracks and rocky beaches and two children grow before our eyes New Zealander. Each morning I’d think about her personal impact and achievement as the first Green but increasing out of our reach. take my kids to the mainland for to win an electorate seat in the Escaping the rat race, we moved school in our boat - a small open world. to Dunedin seeking quality time dory - inevitably wet but usually together and to be closer to nature. smiling, before settling in to work Writing came as a furious exercise on the book. after spending too long climbing It was only meant to be a the mountain of paper. temporary southern stop-over In our little cottage, which once before we embarked on our dream was a World War One recreation Spring was constant 12-16 hour of sailing into the South Pacific. room when the island served days typing out the story of her But as international borders closed as a military hospital after its life. Some days Meghan would yell and Covid spread we abruptly quarantine station years, I built a out to me that there were orca or had to re-evaluate plans we had desk out of plywood and a large sea lions swimming by our jetty, been making for years. We were bookshelf out of scrap timber. and we would run down the hill incredibly fortunate to land on the Jeanette was a prolific writer. and marvel at the sight before next best thing as an opportunity She had a 50-year career as a returning to my desk. arose to move to Quarantine pioneering environmentalist, Summer was swimming or Island/Kamau Taura as the academic, and politician and soon kayaking with the kids in the cold only residents. Kamau Taurua the desk and bookshelf groaned water, and by the end of the season is a stunning 15ha conservation under the pile of her speeches, the draft was complete. What reserve in the Otago Harbour and reports, and articles. It was a small matters in life? Jeanette Fitzsimons ‘Quarantine Island’ sounded like mountain of paper. strongly believed nature and the ideal place to ride out a global Wrapped up in a scarf, wearing quality of life was what mattered pandemic! slippers with a blanket across more than GDP. After more than a year writing on Kamau Taurua, that’s what we found in the south - family, nature, and quality of life.

• A Gentle Radical by Gareth Hughes is published by Allen and Unwin.

28 / FEATURE: Books

OUT OF THE COLD Laurence Fearnley’s latest novel is firmly set in the Mackenzie country. The Dunedin writer talks about the creation of Winter Time, which was bookended by personal challenges.

Photo: Dave Fearnley.

By Gavin Bertram

SOUTH /Winter 2022

T

he Christchurch that Laurence Fearnley grew up in has been erased, the houses she lived in now overgrown

sections.

But while it’s strange for the writer when she revisits the city, Fearnley finds some sense of renewal in those places that she once knew so well.

“It’s almost a metaphor for life,” she reflects. “That you’re alive and then you die, and hopefully a tree grows where you’re buried. All of the places I would go and look at in terms of my early history no longer exist. You kind of feel like that part of your life has been wiped out, but on the other hand it’s nice to see those places are now overgrown and back to nature.”

The metaphor can perhaps be stretched to fit the conception of Winter Time, Fearnley’s just published twelfth novel. Started as part of the author’s process to deal with the grief of losing her mother, it was finished as she recovered from treatment for a serious illness.

fundamental to the novel - the sense of space, the clarity of the sky, and the clear, cold days.

It’s an area the writer spent a lot of time in when she was young, and previous novels, including 2010’s The Hut Builder, have also been set in that dramatic landscape.

Although she’d started an historical novel based in the Bay of Islands, following her mother’s death, Fearnley decided to revisit the Mackenzie.

“When I think about this novel I don’t know how I managed it, but I did. It’s nice that I can show something productive that came out of a pretty difficult time in my life.”

Reflecting on the book’s conception, Fearnley now doesn’t know how she wrote it under such circumstances.

But then, she wrote a lot of the 2004 novel Butler’s Ringlets sitting in her car with her one-year-old son asleep “I started looking at photos from my in the back. childhood and just remembering,” “That novel has always had a special she says.”We used to camp a lot, we place in my heart because I think had a little tent and it was always of the way that it was written,” cold. I wanted to write specifically Fearnley reflects. “I don’t know about snow because I really like how I managed it, and when I think the silence surrounding snow and about this novel I don’t know how I the sounds when you’re walking managed it, but I did. It’s nice that I on snow. And also those clear days can show something productive that when it’s just so still but cold.” came out of a pretty difficult time in Within this frigid landscape, Winter my life.”

Time relates Roland’s return to the Winter Time is set in a vaguely area from Sydney following the fictionalised version of the seemingly accidental death of his Mackenzie Basin. But although brother, and last remaining family Fearnley has taken some artistic member. license with the details, the place is

Despite various elements of intrigue and aggravation, Roland finds the space and clarity to unravel the complexities of his own life.

Fearnley notes that alongside the vivid sense of place, she also wanted to challenge herself in terms of plot with this novel.

“I really wanted to write a novel that had a stronger plot than my usual novels,” she says. “I really love Australian literature, and I’d started reading a few Australian thrillers.

A lot of those are set in small town Australia, so that was a bit of an influence on my writing. I really like writers who have a sense of place and a point of view about a place.”

Although the novel was started in 2020, two thirds of the way into writing it Fearnley was diagnosed with cancer. A large tumor in her leg required radiotherapy and surgery, which was followed by an infection that required further hospitalisation.

Not liking half-finished projects, Fearnley decided that instead of staring out the hospital window she would get back to writing Winter Time. And the big epiphany that she had during the illness was how vital writing is to her sense of wellbeing.

overt, but more to do with the way that lives can be indelibly touched by people in passing.

“I was interested in the way that people come into your life and then drop out and you don’t see them again,” she says. “You’re only around them for a couple of days but they certainly have a big impact on your life.”

In 2011, Fearnley’s The Hut Builder won the fiction category in the NZ Post Book Awards. But even that, various other awards, and being named a New Zealand Arts Foundation Laureate in 2019 don’t stop her being nervous before the publication of a new book.

“It is still nerve wracking,” Fearnley admits. “I’m probably more introverted than extroverted, so I’m quite pleased that there’s not going to be big book launches and things like that. You’re always a bit anxious about how people will respond, but I think it’s a pretty solid book so it will be okay.”

“What I like doing is writing,” Fearnley says. “It’s something that makes me feel good, and it’s something that centres me. And I was pleased when I got back into writing because it took my mind off things. It’s a weird thing, that this book kind of started off to get me over the grief of my mother’s death, and then it ended up getting me over the problems associated with my own illness.”

This is the second novel from the author that relates to one of the five senses. Where 2019’s Scented referenced the olfactory, Winter Time is obliquely related to touch.

But as Fearnley explains, it’s not

Winter Time by Laurence Fearnley is published by Penguin.

30 / FEATURE: Books

A southern literature The south has long inspired local fiction writers. Here’s a selection of novels at least partially set in this area: Erewhon by Samuel Butler (1872)

Book Book by Fiona Farrell (2004)

Not the deep south, but Butler’s influential dystopian satire references his time spent in South Canterbury.

Part memoir, part fiction, wherein books shape the life of a girl in Oamaru, Dunedin, and beyond.

Children of the Poor by John A. Lee (1934)

Contemporary and disturbing, Shuker’s take on Dunedin student culture gives new meaning to ‘southern gothic’.

Radical socialist MP Lee fictionalised the years of his deprived Dunedin childhood in this New Zealand classic.

Nor the Years Condemn by Robin Hyde (1938) The troubled writer died tragically young, following this depiction of the struggles faced by returned servicemen.

Cliffs of Fall by Dan Davin (1945) Rhodes Scholar Davin worked at the Oxford University Press for decades, but based several novels at the University of Otago.

Owls Do Cry by Janet Frame (1957) Loosely based on some of the Otago writer’s life, this debut has been called “New Zealand’s first great novel”.

The Smoke and the Fire by Essie Summers (1964) Prolific ‘Queen of Romance’ writer Summers based much of her internationally published fiction right here.

Blessed Art Thou Among Women

by Christine Johnston (1991) This Heineman Reed Fiction Award winner was the Dunedin writer’s debut novel.

The Lazy Boys by Carl Shuker (2006)

The Ringmaster by Vanda Symon (2008) Crime novelist Symon has based several books around detective Sam Shepherd and dark happenings in Dunedin.

Settlers Creek by Carl Nixon (2010) In his second novel, Christchurch writer Nixon confronts the intersection of cultures in this country.

The Hut Builder by Laurence Fearnley (2010) Set in the Mackenzie and Aoraki Mt Cook, Fearnley’s novel evokes the elemental power of the southern landscape.

Swimming in the Dark by Paddy Richardson (2014) Set in Alexandra, internationally published author Richardson’s novel is more than just a tense psychological thriller.

Carnival Sky by Owen Marshall (2014) Celebrated Timaru writer Marshall specialises in short stories, but this is a novel set in Alexandra.

Milk Island by Rhydian Thomas (2017) Welsh-born Thomas casts the South Island as a prison farm in his brilliantly satirical debut novel.

IMAGE: TIM MARSHALL / UNSPLASH

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32 / FEATURE: Night skies

On June 24 this year, Aotearoa New Zealand will celebrate Matariki with a public holiday for the first time.

The Māori New Year, marked by the rising of the Pleiades star cluster, is the ideal time to appreciate the southern night skies.

By Naomi Arnold.

A superb showing of the Aurora Australis, at the Oreti River in Southland

Bignightsout

SOUTH /Winter 2022

(Photo: Dark Sky Project)

35 / FEATURE: Night skies

S TAR G A Z I NG I N T H E S OU T H

M

illions of people across the world may not ever see the stars, but New Zealanders are lucky; we enjoy some of the darkest skies in the world, offering as good a view into the heavens as you’re likely to get anywhere on Earth.

Southern New Zealand in particular is a paradise for sky-watchers. From our leading observatory to the wilds of Rakiura/Stewart Island, it’s down south that you can experience some of the clearest and most aweinspiring skies on Earth – and it’s your best chance to glimpse the elusive aurora australis, too.

The first stop on a southern stargazing trip has to be Takapō (Tekapo). The Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve is New Zealand’s largest and first gold standard reserve, with one of the highest-quality night skies in the world. That means it’s clear and dark, mostly free of both industrial and light pollution.

This is largely thanks to astronomer Dr John Hearnshaw, who was director of the University of Canterbury Mount John Observatory from 1976 to 2008 and took steps to protect it from the growing outdoor lights of the village nearby. In 1981, he got lighting regulations included in the district plan, which later led to much greater dark-sky protections and the International Dark Sky Association (IDA) assignation.

It was a conservation and tourism move that was ahead of its time, as dark skies have since become more scarce. Many places around New Zealand are now working with the IDA to protect their own night skies.

It’s thanks to Dr Hearnshaw that 40 years later, we can enjoy his efforts – and he was recently awarded the IDA’s lifetime achievement award in recognition of this.

There are many different options to see the stars in Takapō. Tekapo Springs offers a two-hour tour, which

SOUTH /Winter 2022

The southern skies in all their glory, view from Bluff. (Photo: Videocopter)

(Photo: Vidiocopter)

includes time spent in the hot pools on a floating hammock. It’s hard to beat stars and hot pools, and it’s the only one of its kind in New Zealand.

photographer Fraser Gunn. Capped at four adults, these tours are a good way to sharpen your camera skills with tricks such as star trails and time-lapse animations.

If you’d rather stay dry, visit the Dark Sky Project. Its Summit Experience dresses visitors warmly in Antarctic jackets and busses them to the top of Mount John and the UC observatory, at an elevation of 1031m. From here, the lake, the vast horizon edged with mountain ranges and the lowlight village centre below make a beautiful backdrop to experiencing the main event: what Dark Sky Project calls “one of the quietest spots on the planet with one of the busiest skies in the universe”. Knowledgeable star guides will lead you through what’s on show that night, and if clouds interrupt, there’s an indoor interactive experience instead.

In Dunedin, the famed wilderness of the city’s hinterland means a dark sky is never far away.

Silver River Stargazing is another excellent option in the Mackenzie Basin. It offers a 1.5 hour stargazing tour in both English and Mandarin, and a 3.5 hour astrophotography tour developed by well-known night sky

Finally, check out one of our most precious national resources: the entire island of Rakiura, which has been granted IDA Dark Sky Sanctuary for its exceptional night sky.

It’s easiest to catch an aurora the further

A Horizon Tours trip offers a welcoming, personal touch with the Southern Skies Stargazing tour. It takes you to a secluded spot on the Otago Peninsula, where they lay on the full treatment: hot drinks, snacks, hot wheat bags, gravity chairs, and an informative kōrero that includes stories and waiata about how Māori see, understand, and use the sky. It is a great chance to gain a special understanding of tātai arorangi (astronomical knowledge) and happens to be a prime viewing location for a rare sight of aurora australis (the southern lights) as well.

south you are, so this really is the best chance in New Zealand to see one. (If you’ve got young kids with you, it’s best to visit in winter; in summer, the darkest time this far south is between midnight and 3am.)

You’ll need good weather and a bit of luck to see the southern lights. The best chance is to watch the forecast on websites like aurora-service.net, which can tell you with reasonable accuracy how the aurora will behave up to an hour in advance. You can also download an aurora alert app.

But whether you see an aurora or not, stargazing is its own reward. Spending a couple of hours under New Zealand’s uniquely dark night skies, particularly with friends, family, or a knowledgeable guide, is a wonderful way to feel humbled and wonderstruck, to disconnect from the distractions of the daylight world and turn your mind towards a deeper understanding of your place within the universe.

• Award-winning journalist Naomi Arnold is the author of Southern Nights, published by HarperCollins.

The night sky from Red Tarns in Aoraki Mt Cook National Park. (Photo: Lee Cook)

SOUTH / Winter 2022

(Photo: supplied)

36 / FEATURE: Night skies

38 / FEATURE: People

BORN TO RUN Glenn Sutton recently ran for 18 hours as a storm raged around him.

What compels the Dunedin ultrarunner to keep moving forward?

By Gavin Bertram

The gonzo journalist used the event as a lens to examine the rapid rise of running culture.

Thompson surmised that when the radicalism of the 1960s faded, the energy had simply been rechannelled into other extreme activities.

It’s a convincing explanation for the popular explosion of marathons from the late 1970s into the 1980s.

As the decade of excess wore on, a fringe element of marathon runners were already looking for further horizons. Longer races emerged, and ultrarunning was officially recognised by the International Amateur Athletics Federation in 1988.

Now over 600,000 people enter ultra events across the globe each year, with a 345% increase in participants between 2010 and 2020. It’s a huge growth that’s especially astounding as ultra events incorporate everything from 50km up to 1000 miles.

“WE’RE born to move forward, born to run, so it’s just finding your limits,” Dunedin ultrarunner Glenn Sutton says. “I don’t know if I’ve quite found my limits with the kilometres that I’ve done, but I’m always looking for the next adventure. I’m no good at sitting down on the couch.”

Over the last decade or so Sutton has taken on

a raft of ultra events, both organised and of his own invention.

He’s run the Kepler mountain race 10 times, Cromwell’s Northburn 100 miler nine times, and the 200km Great Naseby Water Race numerous times.

Then there’s the notorious Badwater, a 217km midsummer trek across the world’s hottest place - California’s Death Valley. Sutton’s done that three times.

And a year ago, he raised $15,000 for the Otago Community Hospice with a self-devised 580km jaunt from Milford Sound to Mt Cook over five days.

Turning 49 this year, Sutton shows no sign of slowing down. In May he ran the Old Forest Hanmer 100 mile as a bitter storm blew through, and in August he’ll be back for more at the Great Naseby Water Race.

“With ultrarunning, I think the older you get, the better you become at it,” he considers.

“Physically, as you get older it gets harder.

But I think mentally I’m sharper, a bit more stubborn, a bit more cunning to running, to hydration, to food. I’ve experienced all the good and the bad, so you’re trying to get all the good stuff to push you through.”

BORN and raised in Dunedin, Sutton enjoyed athletics when he was young, and played rugby right up to his early 30s.

Odd jobs kept him busy as a teenager, and then he got a joinery job with Stephenson and

Williams, where he’s remained for 31 years.

Sutton says he was always determined and stubborn, traits that are necessary in most sports, but essential for ultrarunning.

It was a friend from work who got him interested in running. Due to family commitments meaning a break from rugby, he was looking for something that offered more flexibility.

A half-marathon was the first proper run Sutton attempted.

“I did that in my rugby shorts and socks, with a singlet top on,” he remembers. “To be honest I probably didn’t enjoy it; I got really bad chafing between the legs, and chafed nipples, and I was pretty exhausted afterwards. But I think it was the challenge of how far can you go? I’d done 21km, and can you go any further?”

Next was the Kepler Challenge, which traverses 60km of mountain terrain in Fiordland. And then at the prompting of New Zealand ultrarunning veteran Lisa Tamati, he took on the Northburn 100 miler.

At the Cromwell event he overcame the full gamut of experiences that endurance athletes face — emotional breakdown and hallucinations included.

Tamati then encouraged Sutton to apply for the Badwater in 2014. Promoted as “the world’s toughest foot race”, the event only accepts 100 runners each year. Qualifying was both a scary and exciting prospect for the Dunedin runner.

To prepare for the unique conditions of the Badwater, he added another dimension to

Dunedin ultrarunner Glenn Sutton. (Photo: Derek Morrison/www.boxoflight.com)

W

RITING about the 1980 Honolulu Marathon, Hunter S. Thompson noted that “the greatest mania of all is passion.”

40/ FEATURE: Night skies

Left: The runner training in his heat box at home in Dunedin. (Photo: Otago Daily Times) Middle: Glenn Sutton celebrates finishing his first Badwater in 2014. (Photo: Scott Wilson) Right: Ticking up the miles across Death Valley during the 2014 Badwater. (Photo: Scott Wilson)

his usual training runs on the Otago Peninsula and around Dunedin. In his basement, Sutton built a heat box equipped with a treadmill and fan heaters, to emulate as near as possible the merciless heat of Death Valley. But going from a Dunedin winter to California summer was never going to be easy.

MAX TELFORD was a New Zealand ultrarunning pioneer in the 1970s who remains an international of the discipline.

In 1976 he became the first person to run the return trip through Death Valley - 240 miles in 73 hours, with temperatures rising to 55°C. “It doesn’t matter who you are, or how fit you are, the body can only handle so much before it’s forced to carry on when it’s crying out to stop,” he reflected.

Telford believed that it was their psychological traits that really make an ultrarunner.

Sutton tried to learn as much as he could about the Badwater before he ran it. With a good crew supplying hydration, food, and ice baths, he was confident that he’d done all he could to prepare.

However, it wasn’t quite as simple as that.

“It’s just such a shock to the system arriving there and experiencing that heat,” Sutton reflects. “It’s a

“There are high emotions, tears, anger, all that sort of stuff. But you’ve just got to battle on.”

ON THE other side of the ledger to ambition and accomplishment there is generally a cost, both personal and to those around you.

While running offers flexibility, the demands of ultrarunning mean that time is under constant pressure. Juggling a job, home life, and a desire to run as much as possible is an impossible equation to manage.

“Sometimes it’s difficult to get that balance right,” Sutton admits. “Someone always feels like they’re missing out as regards work, or family, or me to my running.”

beautiful environment, with big mountains, but it was tough. It hurt like hell, and you break down a few times. There are high emotions, tears, anger, all that sort of stuff. But you’ve just got to battle on. As someone said to me, ‘pain is temporary, memories are forever’.”

When he ran Badwater for the third time in 2019, he took his family so they could share the experience and have a holiday together.

To get through the anguish, he focused on positive things, such as his family and friends, crew and supporters. He’d put so much into getting there that he didn’t want to let either them or himself down by not finishing.

That makes ultrarunning even more special for him. Besides the running itself, it’s getting other people involved in the challenges he sets for himself that he derives the most joy from.

However, while there was a massive high from crossing the line and being awarded the fabled buckle that finishers get, the battle wasn’t over.

Sutton relates that there’s a massive psychological comedown that can take months to recover from.

“It’s bringing people around you to do that mission,” Sutton says. “Seeing the enjoyment that they have, and the enjoyment I have from having them there. I think that’s cooler than a race.”

Sutton’s eldest daughter Emily was part of the support crew on that occasion, and at other events since.

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42/ ENDNOTES

SOUTH / Winter 2022

HOW YA GOING?

I WAS T H E R E

FIFA World Cup, Spain, June 1982 It was 40 years ago this month that New Zealand played in the football World Cup for the first time.

A

fter an arduous qualifying experience the All Whites had certainly earned the right to play against Scotland, the Soviet Union, and Brazil in Spain. Former Invercargill resident Ken Cresswell didn’t play during the qualifying campaign, but he played in all three games at the World Cup. “It wasn’t until they’d qualified and started to look at who they were going to take that my opportunities came along.

One of the things I always tried to maintain was a high level of fitness and every time I went into camp I worked quite hard at my game.

And the events leading up to that first game against Scotland made me believe there might be an opportunity.

Grant Turner hurt his ankle at training, and I was kind of right behind Grant in that position. So I was very happy when they named me in the starting lineup.

Jonathan Lemalu In March, Dunedin-raised Jonathan Lemalu was looking forward to warmer weather in London, where he lives with his family. The bass baritone opera singer was a Grammy award winner in 2010 for Britten: Billy Budd. that pace gets slower or faster). It to visitors or socialising! In my line of work I literally cannot reminds me of Dunedin spring.

What’s been keeping you busy afford to get sick, as self-isolation can mean missing performances. recently?

For visitors, Spitalfields Market London life is always a four-ring near us is a favourite place we circus with the kids’ school/ hang out at. Markets, stalls, prep commitments, Sandra’s music, great international street busy clients and Masters food scene, coffee, and the best studies in family therapy, and fruit crumble ever! my performing and teaching What do you miss about New schedule. I have sung in Zealand?

Stravinsky and Britten operas We’re on the Adriatic Coast of Community. We were in New in Philadelphia, Glasgow, Istria (Croatia) for the London Zealand for six months last half-term break. Surrounded by Edinburgh, and London in year, and loved the sense of the last three months.

I love family and nature, particularly performing, but not the constant community, particularly growing near the sea where my wife up there and having many family, international travel and time Sandra holidayed as a child, it friends, and connections of all away from family, particularly in is amazing. It’s out of tourist walks of life. The kids being out season so it is wonderfully quiet, Covid times with all the tests and of UK lockdowns was priceless. online forms.

18 degrees, mild and warm. A Sandra and I were seriously not much needed change of scenery When you have visitors, where sure about returning to the UK and pace (though with a teenager do you take them? and are definitely not ruling it out and five-year-old I am not sure if Social distancing is not conducive in the future!

So, how are you going?

Spring is coming! So over the grim weather in the Northern Hemisphere including cold temperatures, slushy snow, and hurricanes creating travel chaos, and my traditional resentment of beach/BBQ/sun-tanned pictures from the Aoteaeoa summer!

Where are you, and how’s the weather?

When you walked out, with the crowd and the atmosphere, it was quite exciting. But once the whistle went it was just like playing another game of football. Your focus is on your game and doing your job, and doing the best you possibly can. In the back of your mind is the fact you’re playing in front of a large audience, not just at the ground but on TV. So performing well was on everyone’s mind.

I thought that we played really well. You always think back and think it would have been nice to have done a little bit better. But we didn’t under-perform, considering we were a bunch of amateurs playing against those teams.

I enjoyed all three games. Scotland was by far the most exciting because we gave them a big fright for a short time.

The Soviet Union game didn’t have the attraction that playing against Scotland or Brazil had, because they were a bit of an unknown. But they allowed us to play a little bit as well, and I thought we played some quite good football in that game.”

New Zealand plays Costa Rica on June 15 in a playoff for qualification to the FIFA World Cup Qatar later in the year.

New Zealand was beaten 4-0 by a superb Brazilian side at the 1982 World Cup. Ken Cresswell is wearing number 13.

43/ Sponsored content

SOUTH / Winter 2022

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The Arrowtown shop still stands prominently where it began 18 years ago in the delightful historic main street of Arrowtown. The Queenstown Airport shop had a short shift across the concourse last year, positioned where it can’t be missed as passengers land and depart.

And as if the last two years didn’t bring enough to the table — the famous central Queenstown shop is currently moving to a slightly bigger shop only a few doors up, to 23 Beach Street.

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the same overwhelming array of products, and familiar exceptional service, but aim to make it even more of a magical experience for people of all ages. The new Queenstown shop will be open in time for the skiers’ arrival mid-late June.

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44/ ENDNOTES: Music

SOUTH / Winter 2022

David Bowie’s classic glam rock album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars turns 50 this month.

Once upon a time…

Don’t mention the family: Bowie’s press conference, Christchurch 1978

As one of David Bowie’s classic albums turns 50, Dunedin’s George Kay remembers an encounter with the star in 1978.

A

little historical context first, and let’s go back to ’70s UK, a decade that began with prog rock trying to take rock’n’roll into the serious realms of art for art’s sake, before punk trashed the mellotrons and rediscovered three electric guitar chords.

But, astride this period like a titan was David Jones. In a phone interview in the ’90s, around the time of his 50th birthday, he told me rock was better off without the dominance of the Beatles; an ironic statement considering he bossed the ’70s with no fewer than 10 largely iconic albums.

So, to say that anticipation was high when the man himself touched down with his 40-strong entourage in Christchurch late November 1978 for his two-concert debut tour of Aotearoa starting with a gig at QEII Park, was something of an understatement.

They were staying at Noah’s, at that time the flashiest digs in town, and my mission was to seek out his press conference on the seventh floor and shoot the breeze with the man who fell to earth.

At the time I was teaching in Dunedin and writing for Rip It Up, and the conference was the day before the gig so time off work and a fast car were necessary prerequisites to make the date with David. An ex-student of mine, Donald Ellis, supplied his Datsun turbo 120Y, and with my mate, legendary historian, Tom Brooking, clutching upholstery in the back as the car made convincing imitations of a low flying aircraft, we made Noah’s like Blues Brothers with time to spare.

At the hotel I was met and briefed by Daryl Sambell, Bowie’s Australasian publicist. “David doesn’t want any questions about his wife, Angie, or their son, Zowie,” he explained.

No problem, I assured him, “I’m writing for a rock magazine, not the Women’s Weekly”. Bowie’s marriage had been open for some time, in fact it was a relationship of convenience that allowed Angie, an American, to get a work permit.

Suitably warned, a handful of journos were shown into what passed for a small conference room with name cards on a table in front of us. Daryl ushered in the man himself, fresh as a daisy, healthy despite arriving from an early flight from Australia.

Handshakes all round, and he stopped at the Rip It Up name card, smiled in recognition at the Little Richard connection. Included in the press entourage was my old Otago University Critic editor, Jim Mora, and a dude from one of the Christchurch newspapers, a Press/ Star man, who confidently opened the questions welcoming Bowie to these shores before enquiring, “how

are Angie and Zowie, how is the family?” Don’t mention the family.

It wasn’t a prolonged silence but it was long enough to conjure up visions of Bowie standing up and walking out, making it one of the briefest rock press conferences in history. Fortunately, he took it in his stride with a polite, curt “very well, thank you”, and the Press/Star man had the smarts not to pursue this line of questioning. I looked over at Jim and he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and from there the conference went without a hitch.

Although our Press/Star man seemed to be more interested in Bowie as a socialite, thinking that he was rubbing shoulders with the aristocracy in his Berlin recuperative period. “How many Turkish labourers do you know?” the Berliner retorted.

Postscript: the Bowies divorced in 1980 and their son, Zowie, wisely changed his name to Duncan.

46/ ENDNOTES: Loose Ends

SOUTH / Winter 2022

Born on Rakiura/Stewart Island in 1890, the contralto grew up immersed in the Ngāi Tahu culture of Bluff. In 1910 she performed in Melbourne and Sydney under the stage name Princess Iwa, before embarking to the Northern Hemisphere.

There Skerrett was lauded as the “Maori nightingale”, representing New Zealand at the Festival of Empire celebration, and at the coronation of King George V. Concerned that the culture of her people in Aotearoa was in danger, she stated in the British press that “Above all, I do wish to make my people’s history better known”.

Unfortunately, Skerrett never made it back to her home shores. Having dazzled audiences in Europe for decades, she died in London in 1947.

5 Truths in 5 Words Don’t stand still, leap forward. (Ronda Rousey) Imagination is greater than detail. (Albert Einstein) Big egos have little ears. (Robert Schuller) We’re not gonna take it. (Twisted Sister) There’s no place like home. (Dorothy, The Wizard of Oz)

1.

How many kilometres of roads are there on Rakiura/ Stewart Island?

2.

For what is an award given in the name of Otago Daily Times founder and New Zealand Premier Sir Julius Vogel?

3.

In which year was the last railcar run on the Otago Central Branch Railway?

4.

Which popular band of the 1980s and 90s was formed in Geraldine?

5.

7.

Filmed in Otago, who played the title role in the 2003 film Sylvia?

8.

During which decade did a Central Otago wine first gain a gold medal?

Born in Dunedin, Rosaleen Norton was later known in Sydney as ‘The (what) of Kings Cross’?

9.

6.

10.

What was the ‘Scotsman’s Grandstand’ at Carisbrook?

Falcon and Oates streets in Dunedin gained their names from which 1910 visitors to Dunedin?

What was Suzanne Prentice’s hit single from 1982?

ANSWERS: 1. About 20 kilometres; 2. Science fiction literature; 3. 1976; 4. Dance Exponents/The Exponents; 5. Witch; 6. A free view from the north; 7. Gwyneth Paltrow 8. 1880s; 9. The Robert Falcon Scott Terra Nova expedition to Antarctica; 10. When I

M

arcus Lush is arguably the most prominent of Bluff’s current residents, but over a century ago the town produced international opera star Evaline Skerrett.

QuizTime

ONE THING ABOUT… Bluff

Dunedin City Ford

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